Chapter 5, Snow Scene, section 4 Summary and Analysis

The Hoovers, stretching their money to make ends meet, have limited options for evening entertainment. Rather than divide their few books between them, Ade reads aloud while Helen does needlework. They receive a letter from Hilda asking the Hoovers whether or not they would like some chicks to raise. Ade makes some money doing woodwork which the Hoovers use to buy ground beef and bacon. The butcher throws in some suet so the Hoovers can hopefully attract and domesticate a fox.

As before, the meat attracts birds and squirrels. Eventually, the Hoovers decide to encase the suet in a cage. To their surprise, they wake to find that something large has upended the cage by detaching it from the bench. One night, while Helen sits watching the suet, she sees the tiny weasel that she...